We Can't Go Back
by thebookwormxo
Summary: Miley walked out on Joe and her kids and didn't look back. Three years later they meet up at Kevin's wedding. Is the love still there, or is it too late to make things right?


**A/N: Okay, I know it's been _forever _since I uploaded a new story, and I'm soo sorry! But I _just _finished this one so if I get lots of great comments on this chapter I'll upload more and more. If I still even have any "fans" on here. Anyway, enjoy. :)**

_**Chapter 1**_

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

That had been going on since we left my apartment, and we just left fifteen minutes ago. We were on our way to Kevin's house for his bachelor party. It would take us six hours to get there, but neither one of us was eager to get on a plane after out last near-crash. But that's another story for another time.

"Are we there yet?" Nick asked once more.

"Yes!" I snapped.

Nick looked around, a frown on his face. We were pretty much in the middle of nowhere. "…Really?"

I sighed. "No."

That stopped him, but only for a second. "Are we there yet?" he repeated yet again.

I swear, you'd think he was five, not twenty-one.

When I didn't answer, he asked louder, "Are we there yet?"

I love the kid, but sometimes I just wanted to give him a good slap on the back of his head. You know what? Hold that thought.

"Ow!" Nick complained loudly.

I smiled. That felt better than I thought it would.

"What was that for?"

I flashed Nick a smile and tried to seem innocent. "What was what for?"

"You hit me!"

My mouth formed an O. I glanced at him."I am shocked that you'd think I'd do such a thing. I love you little brother. I'd never hurt you."

That was true. I'd never hurt Nick. Not on purpose, anyway. That kid means the world to me.

Nick rolled his eyes as he changed the radio station. He stopped when Brad Paisley's voice came through the speakers. He gave me a sideways look. He knew how I felt about country music. I shrugged, letting him know I couldn't care less. I glanced at the kids in the rearview mirror, sleeping peacefully.

Nick followed my gaze. "Do you think Miley will be there?" he asked.

I sighed again. "Who cares?" I replied.

I didn't say "I hope so" or "Maybe," like I usually did because I told myself that I didn't care.

Nick glanced at me, disbelieving. He knew that I was lying. He had a way of always knowing whatever was on my mind. I swear the kid could read me like an open book.

Nick kept on staring at me. I kept on staring at the road. I knew he wanted me to say something else but I kept my big mouth shut.

Nick finally sighed and settled down for the long car ride to our older brother's house.

I guess you're wondering who the kids are. And who Miley is. The kids are mine—Kyliegh, the oldest, and Joseph. Miley is—er, _**was**_—the love of my life for ten years. On the eve of Miley's twenty-first birthday, we had a little too much to drink and got a little too wasted. Nine months later, Kyleigh was born. Fifteen months after that, Joseph followed.

I came home one day from work, and found Nick there instead of Miley. When I asked where she was, and why he was here, he shook his head and pointed to a note. It read, "Joe, I'm sorry about this. I truly am. But I have my own priorities to straighten out first before I can concentrate on a family. Just know that I love you, and those kids of ours, too." You know that saying, "Don't make someone a priority if all you are is on option"? They're right. Apparently, the kids and I were only an option. Miley hadn't even said goodbye. She left me with just a note to remember her by—

"Joe!" Nick screamed, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I blinked a few times and then finally turned the wheel to the right just in time. I shook my head. "Sorry," I mumbled.

Nick looked at me, a concerned expression on his face, confusion in his eyes. I gave him a small smile and he just shrugged.

Now where was I? Oh, yeah. Nick and Miley had been friends, too. _**Best **_friends, actually. It was through Nick that Miley and I had first met that fateful night back in tenth grade. Miley had gone over to Nick's house a week after she abandoned me and our babies. He wouldn't tell me what she told him, but I could tell from the way he wouldn't look me in the eyes that it wasn't anything good. So I had tried—

"_**Joe**_!" Nick yelled once more.

I jerked the wheel to the right instinctively and looked around once I straightened the car out. We were the only ones on the road. I shot Nick a glance. "_**What**_?"

"You're not paying attention to the road," he told me.

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell Nick that there were no other cars around, but he beat me to it.

"I know there isn't any traffic out here," he said. See? I told you he could read every thought in my head. "But you still have to pay attention. You're too far into thinking about Miley to do that."

I started to protest again—this time about thinking about Miley. But I quickly closed it. He'd know I was lying in a heartbeat.

"Pull over and let me drive," he instructed.

I sighed but did as he said and pulled off to the side of the road. We switched positions and I rested my head against the passenger's seat. I closed my eyes.

Kyleigh was two when Miley chose to leave. Joseph wasn't even one yet. I had no idea how I was going to raise two kids on my own. I called Kevin one night, freaking out because Joseph wouldn't stop crying. Back then, my older brother lived in the same town I had so he was at my house in ten minutes and stayed there for five months. He had four kids of his own so he knew what he was doing. I could never thank him enough for all he did for me and the kids.

Kyleigh and Joseph are five now, and I haven't spoken to Miley in three years. I tried to convince myself that I was over her. But how do you forget about the love of your life?

Truthfully, I still loved her. I kind of knew deep down that I always would. I also knew that deep down Miley would be at Kevin's wedding. She was good friends with Danielle, Kevin's bride-to-be. I didn't think I was ready to face her, but I couldn't _**not **_watch my older brother get married, could I?

Nick smacked my arm. I felt the car glide to a stop. "Joe," he said.

My eyes snapped open. "What _**now**_?" I practically growled.

I saw the hurt on Nick's face, though he tried to hide it. He cleared his throat and opened the door to my car. "We're here," he replied in a small voice. He hopped out and shut the door behind him.

I sighed. "Nick," I said as I opened the other door. I opened my mouth to say something but the words died in my throat. All I could do was stare at the woman I hadn't seen in three years, but thought about every single second.


End file.
